Yobs batter Edinburgh Deliveroo driver in the face with hammer

A HEROIC delivery driver was battered in the face with a hammer after chasing youngsters who stole his motorbike.

Arfan Ahmed needs surgery on his broken nose after confronting two youths he spotted driving his distinctive mini moto.

The 29-year-old was on his way home after his sister called to say thieves had broken into his garage at home in Greenbank and made off with the motorbike.

But as he made his way along Dundee Street in Fountainbridge, Arfan spotted the daring youngsters – one on his mini moto and the other on a moped – and pursued them in a dramatic mile-long chase through the streets of Roseburn and Fountainbridge.

He followed closely behind until they stopped in Russell Road, before they pulled a hammer from a bag and struck him in the face.

Deliveroo driver and father of three Arfan said: “I noticed it was my motorbike right away because it’s very distinctive.

“I knew if I waited for the police I’d never get the bike back so I took matters into my own hands.

“I’m quite angry they managed to flee – they seriously injured me.

“I was in no state to call the police, people that were close by at the time came to help.

“I did manage to get my bike back, but they got away.

“Something needs to be done about motorbike theft in Edinburgh, the police appear to be powerless because they can’t chase the thieves.

“If I hadn’t gone after them myself I would never have got my bike back.”

Detectives are now trying to track down the youths who broke into Arfan’s garage just after 8pm on Wednesday evening. They are both described as in their mid-teens, with slim builds and speaking with local accents.

One of the boys was around 5ft 7in tall and was wearing a white helmet, grey hooded top, blue jogging bottoms and white trainers at the time of the incident.

The second boy had shaved light-brown hair and was wearing a black and yellow helmet and a grey hooded top.

Detective Constable Kevin Walls, based at Corstorphine Police Station, said: “This was a particularly violent attack which thanks to the presence of passers-by, was prevented from becoming even more serious.

“We are very grateful for the assistance of those drivers but still want to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the assault, in particular the driver of a dark coloured Nissan X-Trail which was in the area at the time.